U.S. patent application number 13/391410 was filed with the patent office on 2012-08-16 for heater block for a rapid thermal processing apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to AP SYSTEMS INC.. Invention is credited to Tae Jong Ki, Chang Kyo Kim, Choul Soo Kim, Ki Nam Kim.
Application Number | 20120207456 13/391410 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43607436 |
Filed Date | 2012-08-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120207456 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Chang Kyo ; et
al. |
August 16, 2012 |
HEATER BLOCK FOR A RAPID THERMAL PROCESSING APPARATUS
Abstract
The present invention relates to a heater block for a rapid
thermal processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a heater
block in which heating lamps are densely arranged in a
tessellation. The tessellation has a structure such that the
plurality of heating lamps are arranged at right angles to form a
zigzag line, and the thus-formed zigzagged line is repeated such
that the zigzagged line is combined with the adjacent zigzagged
line. According to the present invention, a temperature gradient
caused by a void between heating lamps is prevented, and heating
lamps are densely arranged to increase heat density for a heat
radiation area as opposed to conventional heater blocks, thus
achieving improved heat treatment efficiency using less energy. In
addition, fully uniform temperature control is enabled, in terms of
sector allocated temperature control, even when the area to be
independently controlled is enlarged as opposed to conventional
heater blocks, thereby simplifying the configuration of a
temperature control circuit.
Inventors: |
Kim; Chang Kyo;
(Hwaseong-si, KR) ; Ki; Tae Jong; (Suwon-si,
KR) ; Kim; Choul Soo; (Hwaseong-si, KR) ; Kim;
Ki Nam; (Suwon-si, KR) |
Assignee: |
AP SYSTEMS INC.
Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do
KR
|
Family ID: |
43607436 |
Appl. No.: |
13/391410 |
Filed: |
August 4, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
August 4, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR2010/005119 |
371 Date: |
May 3, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
392/411 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05B 3/744 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
392/411 |
International
Class: |
F27D 11/12 20060101
F27D011/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 21, 2009 |
KR |
10-2009-0077425 |
Claims
1. A heater block for a rapid thermal processing apparatus
including a plurality of heating lamps for rapidly heating a target
in a rapid thermal process, wherein the plurality of heating lamps
facing the target is densely arranged in a tessellated arrangement
such that a void is not formed between side surfaces of the plural
heating lamps facing each other.
2. The heater block of claim 1, wherein each of the heating lamps
has a straight rod shape on the side surfaces of the heating lamps
facing each other.
3. The heater block of claim 2, wherein each of the heating lamps
is a T-shaped heating lamp which has a protrusion formed in an
opposite direction with respect to the target.
4. The heater block of claim 2, wherein the tessellated arrangement
is obtained by repeatedly arranging the plurality of heating lamps
to cross each other at a right angle along orthogonal zigzag lines
such that adjacent heating lamps are connected at each end thereof
to one another.
5. The heater block of claim 4, wherein the heating lamps are
arranged to cross each other at a right angle along the orthogonal
zigzag lines, such that an end surface of a rear end of each of the
heating lamps adjoins a side surface of a leading end of the next
heating lamp.
6. The heater block of claim 4, wherein the heating lamps are
arranged to cross each other at a right angle along the orthogonal
zigzag lines such that a side surface of a rear end of each of the
heating lamps adjoins an end surface of a leading end of the next
heating lamp.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a heater block for a rapid
thermal processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a heater
block which includes heating lamps densely arranged in a
tessellated arrangement.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A rapid thermal processing apparatus heats a substrate at a
high rate using infrared light emitted from heating lamps for
thermal processing. At this time, various attempts, for example,
horizontal rotation of the substrate, have been made to achieve
uniform heating of the substrate. However, problems caused by
arrangement of heating lamps make it difficult to achieve uniform
heating of the substrate, thereby causing a minute temperature
gradient on the substrate. Such a temperature gradient provides an
increasingly disadvantageous influence on reliability and yield of
devices with increasing circuit integration.
[0003] FIG. 1 is a bottom view illustrating a conventional
concentric arrangement of heating lamps viewed from a lower surface
of the heater block 10, that is, from a side of the heater block
opposite to a heating target such as a substrate. Referring to FIG.
1, the heater block 10 is provided with a plurality of heating
lamps 20. FIG. 2 illustrates a T-shaped heating lamp 28 provided as
the heating lamp 20 of FIG. 1. For differentiation, the T-shaped
heating lamp is denoted by a different reference numeral than a
general heating lamp. As shown in FIG. 2, the T-shaped heating lamp
28 has a T-shape in side view, and a straight rod shape in a bottom
view of the heating lamp. In the side view of the heating lamp, an
upward protrusion of the T-shaped heating lamp 10 is fitted into
the heater block 10 when mounting the T-shaped heating lamp 10 on
the heater block 10. Accordingly, when the heater block 10 is
viewed from the lower surface thereof, with the T-shaped heating
lamp 28 fitted into the heater block 10 as shown in FIG. 1, the
T-shaped heating lamp 28 has a straight rod shape. Conventionally,
such T-shaped heating lamps 28 are concentrically arranged on the
heater block.
[0004] However, the concentric arrangement of the heating lamps
forms a void in the form of a straight line 21 and a concentric
circle 22 as indicated by a dashed dot line, so that a substrate
(not shown) is not uniformly heated due to generation of heat
overlapping sections and voids between the heat overlapping
sections even when the substrate is rotated, thereby causing a
minute temperature gradient on the substrate.
[0005] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of another conventional concentric
arrangement of heating lamps. Even in the concentric arrangement
shown in FIG. 3, it is difficult to prevent creation of voids in
the form of a straight line 21 and a concentric circle 22.
[0006] As described above, the conventional concentric arrangement
of the heating lamps inevitably incurs the temperature gradient on
the substrate even in the case of horizontally rotating the
substrate, and requires a complex structure for sector allocated
temperature control, in which the heater block is divided into
sectors such that power applied to the heating lamps is adjusted
according to the sectors, in order to eliminate the temperature
gradient on the substrate.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
[0007] Therefore, the present invention is directed to providing a
heater block for a rapid thermal processing apparatus, which
includes heating lamps densely disposed in a new arrangement manner
so as not to form a void between the heating lamps, instead of a
conventional concentric arrangement, thereby preventing the
occurrence of a temperature gradient caused by the arrangement of
the heating lamps.
Technical Solution
[0008] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a
heater block for a rapid thermal processing apparatus includes a
plurality of heating lamps for rapidly heating a target in a rapid
thermal process, wherein the plurality of heating lamps facing the
target is densely arranged in a tessellated arrangement such that a
void is not formed between side surfaces of the plural heating
lamps facing each other.
[0009] Each of the heating lamps may have a straight rod shape on
the side surfaces of the heating lamps facing each other.
[0010] Each of the heating lamps may be a T-shaped heating lamp
which has a protrusion formed in an opposite direction with respect
to the target.
[0011] The tessellated arrangement may be obtained by repeatedly
arranging the plurality of heating lamps to cross each other at a
right angle along orthogonal zigzag lines such that adjacent
heating lamps are connected at each end thereof to one another. In
some embodiments, the plurality of heating lamps may be arranged
such that an end surface of a rear end of each of the heating lamps
may adjoin a side surface of a leading end of the next heating
lamp. In other embodiments, the plurality of heating lamps may be
arranged such that a side surface of a rear end of each of the
heating lamps may adjoin an end surface of a leading end of the
next heating lamp.
Advantagous Effects
[0012] According to embodiments of the invention, as compared with
conventional heater blocks, the heating lamps are densely arranged
to increase heat density per unit heat radiation area, thereby
providing improved heat treatment efficiency with less energy while
preventing the occurrence of a temperature gradient caused by a
void between the heating lamps. In addition, uniform temperature
control is enabled in the structure for sector allocated
temperature control, even when the sectors to be independently
controlled have increased areas as compared with a conventional
heater block, thereby simplifying the configuration of a
temperature control circuit.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a bottom view illustrating conventional concentric
arrangement of heating lamps;
[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates a T-shaped heating lamp 20 of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of another conventional concentric
arrangement of heating lamps;
[0016] FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are views of a tessellated arrangement of
heating lamps of a heater block according to one exemplary
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0017] FIG. 6 is a view of a tessellated arrangement of heating
lamps of a heater block according to another exemplary embodiment
of the present invention.
BEST MODE
[0018] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be
described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The following embodiments are given by way of illustration only and
various modifications will be apparent to a person having ordinary
knowledge in the art without departing from the scope of the
invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the following
embodiments are not to be in any way construed as limiting the
scope of the invention.
[0019] FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are views of a tessellated arrangement of
heating lamps of a heater block according to one exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, heating
lamps are densely disposed in a tessellated arrangement, instead of
a conventional concentric arrangement, such that the lower surface
of the heater block 10 is completely filled with the heating lamps
without forming a void between the heating lamps.
[0020] The term "tessellated arrangement" refers to the act of
positioning planar figures close to each other so as not to overlap
each other. According to this invention, since the heater block
employs the heating lamps 20 having a straight rod shape in a
bottom view, that is, when viewed from a substrate as a heating
target, the term tessellated arrangement means that rectangular
members are disposed on the lower surface of the heater block so as
not to overlap each other without forming a void therebetween.
Obviously, it is not necessary for the heating lamps to have a
straight rod shape in the bottom view to provide such a tessellated
arrangement. In this embodiment, the heating lamp has a straight
rod shape for convenience of arrangement, and, in this structure, a
T-shaped heating lamp as illustrated in FIG. 2 may be used as the
heating lamp.
[0021] The heating lamp 20 has a rectangular shape with two ends S
and F, as seen in a bottom view of the heating lamp. Herein, the
tessellated arrangement refers to repeated arrangement of the
heating lamps 20 to cross each other at a right angle along
orthogonal zigzag lines 25 such that adjacent heating lamps are
connected at each end thereof to one another, as shown in FIG.
5.
[0022] FIG. 5(a) shows one embodiment of the tessellated
arrangement, in which an end surface of a rear end F of each of the
heating lamps adjoins a side surface of a leading end S of the next
heating lamp, with the heating lamps disposed along orthogonal
zigzag lines 25. FIG. 5(b) shows another embodiment of the
tessellated arrangement, in which a side surface of a rear end F of
each of the heating lamps adjoins an end surface of a leading end S
of the next heating lamp, with the heating lamps disposed along
orthogonal zigzag lines 25.
[0023] FIG. 4 shows that the orthogonal lines are vertically
arranged, and FIG. 6 shows that the orthogonal lines are diagonally
arranged.
[0024] When the rectangular heating lamps are disposed in the
tessellated arrangement as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, it is possible
to fill the lower surface of the heater block 10 with the heating
lamps 20 without a void between the heating lamps.
[0025] As described above, according to the embodiment of the
invention, the heater block includes the heating lamps 20 densely
disposed thereon to have an increased thermal density per unit heat
radiation area, thereby providing improved heat treatment
efficiency while preventing the occurrence of a temperature
gradient on the substrate 30, which could be caused by a void
between the heating lamps. In addition, with the structure for
sector-allocated temperature control, the heater block enables
uniform temperature control even when the sectors to be
independently controlled have increased areas, thereby simplifying
a temperature control circuit.
* * * * *